Brothers
by KyleKamei
Summary: AU, OOC, Yaoi - Five teenagers with different crimes to their names are faced with the challenge of having to work together, and maybe the challenge of love.
1. Prologue 1

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Brothers**

**Prologue One: Heero**

* * *

It was just past 2 am when the sound of a gunshot echoed through the sleeping suburban neighbourhood. In someone's back yard a dog began to bark, having been disturbed from his sleep. The sound was joined few moments later by the sound of a siren as police arrived outside the white, two story colonial home.

Later rumours and stories would circulate among the other residents. Though no one knew for sure what had transpired that night, everyone had been awoken and the closest neighbours had seen two adults being put into ambulances and driven to the hospital. The fifteen-year-old boy living there had been removed from the house by the police. In hand-cuffs some said.

"Not surprising really," Mrs. Henderson, who lived four houses down from the colonial, told her good friend Mrs. Montgomery. "I always though there was something not right with that boy."

Mrs. Montgomery simply nodded. For she too agreed that when it came the Yuy family, there was something not right with their only son.

Mrs. Jones, the widow living next to Mrs. Henderson, poked her head over the fence. "I would say the problem lies with the parents. Three boys of my own and not one of them would turn violent on their parents. If there is a problem with the son, it's because there's a problem with the parents."

Mrs. Henderson and Mrs. Montgomery shrugged. Their quiet, safe neighbourhood had been disturbed last night and everyone was free to think what they want. Though these two women personally felt the parents were just fine. Mrs. Yuy had been one of their regular acquaintances and her husband, while gruff and somewhat short tempered was a decent man who had helped Mrs. Montgomery with moving in.

* * *

Down at the police station it was a completely different story. They knew pretty well what had happened at the white house in the suburbs. After all it was completely written down in the report. What would happen after that night was a completely different story. The fifteen-year-old taken from the house, Heero Yuy, was facing an uncertain future.


	2. Prologue 2

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Brothers**

**Prologue Two: Duo**

* * *

Duo Maxwell paused at the open window, listening hard. No sound could be heard from the house. Silently he climbed in the window, keeping his eyes and ears open for the slightest sign that the occupants of the house had woken. Once on the inside he moved quickly and silently across the room, it was an office and the desk in one corner had a laptop sitting on it. Duo quickly disconnected the computer and slipped it into the bag he had with him before moving into the hallway.

The house was one of those that had been mass produced and sold to lower middle class families in the 60's and 70's, so while he had scaled a wall and climbed in on the second story, he was still in the main living part of the house. In the living room he found a few small trinkets that he could sell for a small fee. In the kitchen there was nothing. Bypassing the bedrooms since the family was still home, he descended the stairs, careful to stay near the wall to avoid making any sound.

In the basement he found a small collection of coins in a case and decided that at the very least they should be worth a few dollars. Opening a locked cabinet he found two hand guns, one that looked older then his fifteen years, and one rifle. Grinning to himself, knowing that guns could go for a decent amount on the street he carefully started removing them from the rack. Crouching down to put the first one in the bag he didn't notice that he was no longer alone.

"Hands up, and don't try anything stupid," a voice ordered. Duo swallowed and slowly raised his hands, standing as he did so. "Good," the voice said. Footsteps behind him told Duo that the owner of the voice was walking towards him. A hand reached out and pulled his bag back and away from him.

"What's your name?" The man asked. Duo swallowed again before speaking.

"Duo Maxwell."

"Duo Maxwell, I'm placing you under arrest for breaking and entering. Next time, I suggest you stay away from a cops house," the cop told him. Continuing on with the Miranda warnings, he handcuffed Duo. Duo wasn't listening though, and could only think one thing…

_Oh, shit!_


	3. Prologue 3

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Brothers**

**Prologue Three: Trowa (Are you getting a pattern yet?)**

* * *

He was thankful for the cold. It meant that he could hide himself better without appearing suspicious. He waited, watching the people who passed with a sharp eye. Looking for the perfect one. A couple, a man and a woman, obviously drunk but obviously not worth his trouble. Neither of them appeared to have anything of value and they had probably spent all their money on booze. He snorted, his green eyes moving over the scene before him, it wasn't particularly late but there had to be someone out there.

This time there were three of them. Two women and a man. They were out of the question, even if they were wearing nice clothes and one woman had ring glittering on her finger. Three on one was never a good choice, he had made that mistake before, and paid for it.

After about twenty minutes of standing in the cold he spotted her. The perfect target. Alone, it was always best when they were alone. And no one else on the street either. Her shoes were high-heeled and looked to be something fancy, Prada or something like that. Her dress was a formal one too. The sort a woman wears when adorning the arm of a business man at a black tie event. Diamonds glittered in her ears and on her neck and fingers. Best of all, she was completely oblivious to the world around her, focusing all of her attention on riffling through her purse, looking for something.

He followed, barely making sound, in the shadows. She stopped, he stopped. He heard her let out an irritated breath. Pulling her purse off her shoulder she began looking in earnest for whatever it was she had lost. He smiled, but only to himself. She snapped her purse closed and started walking again. Her shadow moving right along with her.

She stepped into darkness caused by a burned out street lamp and he moved, closing in before she took even two steps.

"Scream and I'll shoot," he hissed in her ear, gun pressed to the middle of her back. For half a moment he though she would do just that, but shaking she closed her mouth and swallowed. "Do everything I tell you and you'll get out of this alive, got it?" Another swallow, followed by a shaky nod. Grabbing her arm with his free hand he pushed toward the alley way. He really didn't need any interruptions.

"What do you want from me?" she asked suddenly, her voice quavering with fear. In response he grabbed her purse. Without taking the gun off of her he opened it and dumped it's contents on the ground in front of him. He pocketed the cell phone and wallet before turning his attention back to the woman.

"Are they real?" He asked. She looked at him confused and didn't answer. He growled, she whimpered. "The jewellery, is it real damn it?"

She actually looked mildly insulted at the question. "Of course they are! I was just at a benefit gala for…"

"I don't give a shit about where you were. Take them off, now!" he cut in. Even more pale, she raised her shaking hands to remove the earrings and necklace. Handing them to the gunman, she then proceeded to take off the rings she had on and finally a bracelet he hadn't seen until she pulled her coat sleeve back. She handed those over too.

Turning her roughly to face the pitch dark of the back alley, he stepped back. When she made to move he pulled the safety off his gun, the soft click was almost deafening in the dark alley and the woman froze.

"I want you face down on the ground." He ordered her, carefully and obviously not wanting to do it, she lowered herself to the dirty concrete laying face down. Looking around for a minute, he took another step towards the opening of the alley. "Count to one hundred before you even think of getting up bitch." He ordered her. She nodded, afraid to say anything.

He turned and started towards to open street. He would later beat himself mentally for not keeping his ears open. He didn't hear the woman, quietly as she possible could, rise from the ground or the sound of her picking up a piece of scrap metal from near by. Nor was he aware of her approach until the metal struck him solidly in the back of the head.

Trowa Barton had no time to curse his foolishness. He didn't even have time to appreciate the stars that flashed across his vision. He only had time to register a woman saying "…teach you to mug a woman…" before hitting the ground, completely unconscious.


	4. Prologue 4

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

**This is an un beta'd chapter and maybe subjected to updating in the future.**

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Brothers**

**Prologue Four: Quatre**

* * *

Quatre Raberba Winner wasn't a very happy person. He acted happy, but he never really was. In fact, if you asked him he probably wouldn't be able to tell you the last time he had been truly happy. That's not to say he never identified himself as happy. Just never truly happy.

At the moment he was feeling something similar to happiness. It was a bit fuzzy too, but fuzzy happy was better then no happy at all. He was sitting on a couch in the living room of a house that belonged to one of his 'friends'. Why he called them friends he wasn't so sure. They really weren't very good friends after all. His father would argue that point, mind you. His father though these aspiring young men, all about the same age as Quatre's fifteen-years where the right people, after all they were the sons of Mr. Winner's business friends. Thinking that as he looked around the room, Quatre started laughing. It struck him as funny that just because their fathers were successful business men, these other boys were somehow the 'right' people.

"What he hell's so funny, Winner?" the boy sitting at the table with a now empty baggie, scissors and a packet of rolling paper looked over at him. Quatre managed to stop his laughing.

"Inside joke," he said grinning. That made him laugh again. The others didn't know what was so funny, but with all the alcohol in the room and the acrid smoke in the air, it didn't really matter. The others laughed too. After all, anything that made the small blonde laugh had to be pretty damned funny right?

A few hours later, the smoke had all but dissipated. Quatre, still feeling a fuzzy happy and now a little off balance, was sitting on the floor. Sitting on the couch made he feel like he was about to fall off. There were three others left in the room, and they were trying to decide what they should do now that the weed was gone and the drinks were running a little low.

Quatre was about to mention that he though he needed a manicure when there was a solid knock on the door.

* * *

Three days later Quatre sat in his father's office waiting while the formidable man re-read the newspaper in front of him. He wasn't happy, and he wasn't fuzzy happy. In fact he felt like crying. The news of the heir to the Winner fortune being arrested on drug charges had made the paper in a few short days and while Quatre had all ready been lectured, punished and thoroughly grounded for his actions, the newspaper had made sure that the worst was yet to come.


	5. Prologue 5

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Brothers**

**Prologue Five: Wufei**

* * *

The store clerk sat quietly behind the desk. He didn't mind working the night shift much, though he knew it could be dangerous. He had never experienced any danger himself and the lack of customers gave him time to read the newspaper sitting out in front of him. Taking a sip from his coffee while reading one article that made him smirk, another rich brat arrested and would probably get off with a slap on the wrist, at least made him think the kids parents would have to deal with public stigma. Hearing the bell above the front door jingle, he put down his coffee and stood to greet the customer…

… and found himself staring straight down the barrel of a gun.

"Hands up!" the owner of the gun said loud enough to be more then a little frightening. He looked to be about 19 and Asian. The clerk, not used to this situation but not thinking to well either started reaching for the silent alarm button. The click of the guns safety coming off made him stop.

"I said hands UP damn it! One more wrong move and you'll have another hole in your head."

Swallowing hard, the clerk slowly raised his hands. The man with the gun took two steps back, the gun still trained on the clerk. The gunman turned to another man, standing a few feet away, his own gun out and a bag in his hand, and said something in what the clerk assumed was some kind of Chinese, he knew there were more then a few language from that part of the world, but he really didn't have to ability to consider it at the moment.

The second man pulled a rope out of the bag and some duct tape before tossing the bag to a third member of the little group. The second man made his way around the counter and roughly grabbed the clerk, pulling his arms behind his back. As he started tying the clerks hands the third member of the group also rounded the counter with the bag and headed for the cash register. After a moment he turned from the till, his own gun aimed at the clerk.

"Where's the key?" He asked. The clerk was thrown off for a second, the third gunman couldn't have been more then fifteen. Apparently his pause was too long, the kid closed the gap between them and started roughly going through the clerks pockets. "Where's the damned key?" He growled.

"U… under… under the statue…" he said, now more scared then ever. He looked over to where the gaudy bust of George Washington sat. The kid pulled his hand out of the clerks pocket. He tossed the wallet he had found in the bag and went to the statue for the key. Once the kid was able to gain access to the register the second man pulled a strip of duct tape and covered the clerks mouth. From there the clerk could only watch helpless as the three robbers filled the bag with money, cigarettes and one of the robbers snatched up a few of the adult magazines.

"If your lucky you'll be free before your boss comes in for the morning shift," the kid told him with a smirk on his face and the clerk knew he was right.

The clerk was lucky and didn't have to wait that long, an hour after the three had left a middle aged business man came into the store and called the police.

* * *

It took a week for the police to be able to identify the three who had robbed the convenience store. The man who had tied the clerk up was identified first. Followed by the first man to address the store clerk. Less then a day later, Mr. and Mrs. Chang watched in horror as their only son Wufei was arrested for armed robbery and taken to face Lady Justice.


	6. Wilderness Therapy

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

Some background, the idea came from a book a read a few years ago called Stars (I'm trying to find a copy so I can figure out the authors name.) Wilderness therapy is a type of program that takes teens (usually) out to the wilderness in an attempt to get them to take a personal responsibilty for their life in someway. Most of the programs don't take on those who commit serious crimes, but I'm the author and I have the artistic license.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Chapter One**

**Wilderness Therapy**

* * *

Heero Yuy, throwing a weary look at the youth next to him, shuffled himself closer to the window. It wasn't the long haired teen next to him (Heero hadn't bothered learning names) that worried him though. Admittedly the teen was making himself a nuisance. He was tapping a beat on the seat in front of him and singing.

Loudly.

And horribly off-key.

No it wasn't the aspiring Britney Spears that worried him. It was the occupant of the seat that was being accosted that worried him.

Heero had watched for the past ten minutes as the Chinese youth slowly but surely became more and more irritated. First his shoulders tensed. Followed by the muscles in his jaw flexing. And now red was starting to rise above the collar. Heero knew it was only a matter of time.

Sure enough as the boy sitting next to him finished one song and started in on the next, the boy sitting in front spun around and grabbed the singers wrist. From the looks of it, hard too. The braided boy let out a yelp.

"Listen here you brat," the Chinese boy said. "Keep hitting my seat and I'll cut off your hand. Keep singing and I'll cut off that damned hair of yours and stuff it down your throat. Got it?"

Wide-eyed, the braided youth gave Heero a pleading look. Heero turned and looked back out the window. He wasn't about to intervene. In the reflection in the window he saw his neighbour give the boy sitting on the other side of him the same pleading look. The boy, who's brown hair hung over one side of his face, simply looked at the black haired boy and raised an eye brow. It had no effect of course.

Finally it was the blonde sitting in front of Heero who spoke up. "Wufei, it's not nice to threaten or attack people. And Duo, your singing _is_ getting a little annoying and I'm sure the tapping isn't any better."

Of course the blonde knew everyone's names. Almost as soon as Heero had stepped out of the car with his social worker at the meeting point, he had been confronted by the boy who introduced himself as Quatre Winner in such a way that Heero had given his name before he realized it. No doubt he had done that with everyone.

Wufei was about to speak but he was cut off by the drive of the van.

"Sit down Chang," the man with his own long blonde hair said with a warning in his voice. Slowly Wufei looked at the driver. Then he looked back a Duo.

"The threat stands," he hissed to his captive before turning back to the front and sitting down properly.

Heero went back to watching the trees pass along the edge of the highway. He still wasn't exactly sure why he was here, or even what exactly it was. His therapist had called it "Wilderness Therapy". The last thing he wanted was more therapy, but his therapist had said it would help him grow as a person. Frankly, he was just happy to get away from therapists, doctors, lawyers and social workers for a change.

Although, the man sitting shotgun was a youth counsellor. Heero had to wonder how true that really was. Bald on top with grey hair on the sides, he wore sunglasses and a bright Hawaiian shirt. When he introduced himself as Howard (he also said that his last name wasn't important because no one would be allowed to use it) he had struck Heero as being a former hippy who hadn't quite reached the former stage yet.

Heero turned away from the window to glare at Duo. Duo had stopped singing (thankfully) but he was shifting around incessantly, making irritating noises and occasionally grumbling something that sounded like "This is so _boring_!"

"Would you sit still all ready?" Heero growled. Duo turned his eyes to him and… was he pouting?

"I can't help it. I'm not so good at sitting still." he told Heero. "And it _is_ boring. Why aren't we there yet?"

Heero took a deep breath and turned back to the window. It took all of five second for him to feel a finger suddenly poke him in the arm. Hard. He turned to glare at Duo.

"Wanna play a car game?" Duo asked a smile on his face.

"No." Heero said.

"What about telling stories?"

"No."

"What about…?"

"Damn it, leave me alone!"

A snicker from the other side of Duo made Heero look at the third person in the back seat. Unfortunately there was no indication that the other boy had made a sound. Heero turned back to his window, again. A few moments later he heard a growl from the other side of the van and the driver, Milliardo Peacecraft (another person Heero wondered about, no one could have that name and still be sane right?), pulled off the road into a parking lot and turned around.

"All right, time for musical seats, everyone out!" He said. All five of the boys climbed out into the small parking lot. There were no other cars and only two outhouses to be seen. Milliardo came around and looked them over. Finally he pointed to Duo and then Quatre.

"You two in the middle seats," he said. "Yuy, Chang and Barton. Back seat and no threats or violence."

Duo's hand shot up. "Can I drive?" He asked.

"No, your not old enough to drive and your not on the car insurance." Milliardo said. Duo rolled his eyes and climbed in after Quatre. Heero and the last two took their seats in the back.

* * *

To the relief of the others in the car Quatre managed to keep Duo occupied and relatively quiet for the remainder of the trip. In the back seat Heero, Wufei and Trowa each kept to themselves and managed to ignore Duo when the conversation or game going on got a little too exciting. Even still it was a welcome sight to see the cabin when they turned off the main road.

It wasn't large, but at least it looked comfortable. Made of logs, it had a slanted roof and a small porch along the front. Another building behind it, built in the same style only smaller, was clearly a storage shed.

The five teens stepped out of the car and helped bring their bags into the cabin. The main room was small but roomy and had a kitchenette on the rear wall. There was a dining area just in front of that, but most of the room consisted of old, comfortable looking couches and a couple of equally comfortable looking chairs. A fireplace on one wall had an inviting and well used look too it.

Milliardo pointed out the bathroom and the two bedrooms that he and Howard would use. He then directed the boys to a larger room with five bunk beds in it and told them to leave their things in there for now while they sat down to have a talk.

Seated in the main room the five of them looked around trying to decide if they liked or hated the place. Milliardo cleared his throat.

"First let me say that the reason your all here is because somewhere, someone thinks you are all worth the trouble. This program accepts teens such as yourself for a number of reasons. For some, their parents send them here in hopes that they can re-discover themselves and change the path they have taken." (Quatre shifted somewhat uncomfortably at that) "For others, you're here because the court, the therapists or social services believe it would provide a chance to start anew and to learn how to avoid making the same mistakes you've made in the past." He looked around at the others in the room for a moment, trying to read their faces. Only Duo's and Quatre's seem to betray their scepticism and consideration respectively.

He continued on, "I would like to make it clear, this is not a punishment. It has never been intended as a punishment. There are rules here that need to be followed, but the objective is create an environment that will let you try, fail and try again without having to be afraid that you will loose this chance. That being said, while it can be very difficult to get sent back, it's not impossible.

"For the most part the activities we do are optional. The only exception is eating, bathing and attending group therapy with Howard after dinner each night. You are responsible for yourselves. If you don't wash your clothes, or clean your dishes no one else will do it for you. Which is one of the rules, you are not allowed to perform any task for someone and you can't bargain with someone to have them do what you should be doing. Any questions so far?"

Duo's hand promptly appeared in the air. "Can we call you M.? Cause Milliardo is kind of a mouth full and hard to say if you're like, screaming for you're life cause some Chinese dude is trying to kill you."

Milliardo rubbed his forehead for a moment but nodded. "You can, but nobody's going to try a kill you, at least, they aren't allowed. Neither is fighting, name calling, insulting or swearing. Possession of contraband items is also forbidden, which means if they are illegal or you're not old enough to buy them your not allowed to have them…"

Milliardo continued on with the rules and how things would work from that point on for about another 20 minutes. Howard gave a brief run down of his job after that. Explaining the group therapy and that each of them was free to speak with him one on one with the same expectation of privacy they would have with a psychiatrist. When all that was said and done, it was dinner time and each of the five were given the task of picking the dishes they would be using for the rest of their time here (they were organized by colour and Duo insisted on black, stating he refused to discuss the matter further, no one really cared). Following that they were to decide what dinner would be, though for the first night the wouldn't be required to make it.

It took nearly an hour for the five of them to pick out a meal for the night. Every idea of Duo's was shot down by either "ewww" or "We all ready _told _you, we don't have the ingredients for pizza!" Finally tired of the bickering Quatre suggested (rather firmly) that they have lasagne. It was close enough to pizza to make Duo happy and the cabin had all of the ingredients (in the form of a frozen lasagne in the freezer that is). They were all sent to unpack, make their beds and generally get settled in.

In the room Duo grabbed his bag and dragged it over to the bunk bed in one corner. "Why are there five bunk beds in here anyway? I figured they'd find a way to make us share."

"Because each group can take on a maximum of ten people. They can't have anyone sleeping on the floor." Quatre said, Duo raised an eyebrow and Quatre blushed and looked away.

"As long as I don't have to share a bed with him I'm fine," Wufei said jerking his thumb towards Duo who had dumped his bag on the bottom bunk and started making up the top. Duo stopped and turned to him.

"You hate me all ready and you don't even know me. That hurts Wu." He said.

"I don't have to know you to know you need to grow up. And it's Wufei."

"I'll grow up when you go fornicate yourself with an iron rod,"(1) with that Duo stuck his tongue out, climbed into the bunk and turned his back to the rest of them.

"Um, guys, I think we're supposed to be trying to get along," Quatre looked around. Heero and Trowa were completely ignoring everyone. Wufei had taken Duo's statement as a personal affront to his masculinity and was currently putting a sheet on his bed with such force that the blonde almost expected to hear it rip. And Duo was quite thoroughly sulking in his bunk.

"Seriously, this is supposed to help up become better people, we should take advantage of that." Quatre added. Four heads turned towards the young blonde.

"Shut up!"

* * *

TBC

* * *

(1) For those who don't know, a homage to Family Guy. My favourite line from the show is Tom Tucker saying "I think I speak for everyone when I say that New York and everyone from New York can fornicate themselves with an iron rod."

**Aurora Musis Amica: **I know Heero seems like the odd one out, but all five of them have more to their story then what the prologue says. I mean, there's not much reason for writing a story if everything get revealed in the first chapter right? :-D


	7. Invictus

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

Some background, the idea came from a book a read a few years ago called Stars (I'm trying to find a copy so I can figure out the authors name.) Wilderness therapy is a type of program that takes teens (usually) out to the wilderness in an attempt to get them to take a personal responsibilty for their life in someway. Most of the programs don't take on those who commit serious crimes, but I'm the author and I have the artistic license.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**Invictus**

* * *

Just a short half hour after the first group therapy session Duo stood next to his bunk in black boxers and black tank top. He surveyed the room in front of him. Ok, he surveyed the people in the room in front of him. Duo honestly felt you could tell a person by what they wore to bed. After all it was the most intimate apparel a person owned (aside from their underwear that is). So he watched in hopes of learning at least something of the people he was stuck with for the next two and a half months.

Quatre, so far the nicest one towards Duo, wore an expensive looking pyjama set made of pale blue cotton with satin trim. A breast pocket was embroidered with the letters Q.R.W. Clearly he came from money. Duo couldn't help but wonder how well he would fair in the wild. Frankly Quatre didn't seem like the type to 'rough it' in any sense of the term.

Beyond Quatre, Trowa stood in sensible green pants and a white short sleeved shirt. Relaxed, but conservative. Duo guessed he was probably a shy person. That was also taking into account the fact that Trowa had said all of three complete sentences and a few one word answers all day, even during group.

During the rush to change, Duo was tickled to see that Heero wore white briefs. Now though, he was shirtless (yes it was the first thing he noticed but thoroughly enjoyed it) and Duo allowed himself a moment to take in the beautifully chiselled chest and washboard abs before moving down to take in the dark blue bottoms similar to Trowa's. So Heero was sensible and not shy. That was a bit more surprising since he hadn't really spent much time talking either. Clearly he didn't mind showing off what he could though.

Finally, in the bunk farthest from Duo (and probably for a reason) Wufei was getting ready for bed in a black tank top and white pyjama bottoms. Duo wasn't sure what he expected, though he was sure leather would have been part of it given Wufei's clear desire to dominate all of man kind, or at least dominate the others in the room… Oh fine, Duo knew full well the only person Wufei wanted to make feel inferior was Duo himself. He had made that clear all evening through very forceful commands, none of which had been heeded mind you, and occasional threats when the adults were out of ear shot, also not heeded.

Reaching back to give his braid a thoughtful tug, Duo failed to notice he was staring until Wufei turned to glare at him.

"Do you need something, Maxwell?" Wufei asked sharply. Duo rolled his eyes.

"Nope, just wondering if your short temper is an attempt to compensate for something." Ok so it was a low blow, Duo knew it, but really there was only so much a man could take. Wufei gave him a disgusted look.

"Go to hell," Wufei shot back.

"Been there, and back. More times then I care to remember. And just remember, worse men then you have tried to beat me down and failed miserably." Duo replied cheerfully.

"Only you would respond so happily to that suggestion." Wufei said, turning away.

"What can I say? I love seeing people trying a control me only to prove once again that I'm the only one who has any say in what I do or how I do it." Duo flashed a grin at Wufei's back. Wufei looked back at him for a second, a strange look on his face.

"Invictus," he said. Duo blinked. Wufei smirked. "Don't bother asking, you'll have to look it up yourself if you want to know. If you're not too dense to bother trying that is." With that Wufei climbed into bed and turned to face the wall.

Duo and the others took their cue and followed suit and soon Duo found himself laying in the dark unable to sleep. He needed to defend his intelligence, but he wasn't sure what to say. At least not sure what to say without getting murdered by a crazy Chinese guy. He tried to ignore it, but the insult kept playing in his mind. Nobody, _no_body, insulted Duo Maxwell's intelligence and got away clean.

"Hey, 'Fei!" Duo said suddenly. He heard a rustle from across the room and a few grumbles from his roommates.

"What?" came the unhappy answer.

"You still awake?" Duo asked.

There was a snort from across the room, "obviously."

Duo paused a moment before speaking again, clearly to make sure he was heard.

"_Over the night that covers me_

_ Black as pit from pole to pole_

_I thank what ever gods may be_

_ For my unconquerable soul_

_In the fell clutch of circumstance_

_ I have not winced, nor cried aloud_

_Under the bludgeoning of chance_

_ My head is bloody, but unbowed_

_Beyond this place of wrath and tears_

_ Looms but the horror of the shade_

_And yet the menace of the years_

_ Finds me, and shall find me, unafraid_

_It matters not how straight the gate_

_ How charged with punishment the scroll_

_I am the master of my fate_

_ I am the captain of my soul_"

Falling silent for another short moment he continued. "'Invictus'. William Earnest Henley. First published in 1875." Duo said, with that he rolled over and went to sleep.

Across the room Wufei stared thoughtfully at the bunk above him. Apparently there was more to the other boy then the outward appearance of a fool.

* * *

The next morning, Heero was the first one up followed shortly by Wufei. Next to wake was Trowa, then Quatre and finally a very sleepy, somewhat fuzzy looking Duo. One look at Duo, with bits of hair coming out of his braid and a fine halo of frizz surrounding his head set Quatre giggling.

"You would be one of those people who gets up with perfect hair." Duo muttered to the blonde before grabbing his shower things and heading towards the bathroom. Quatre followed, the bathroom was bigger then expected. It had three toilet stalls and five shower stalls. Duo was just happy he wouldn't have to wash his hair in full view of everyone else.

"It's not just you Duo," Quatre said, coming up next to the braided teen. "Heero's hair is all flat on one side and Trowa looks like he stuck his head out a car window on the freeway." Duo blinked sleepily. He hadn't really noticed the others.

Duo was the first in the shower and the last out. Quatre tried to finish as fast as he could, not used to such a public setting despite the separate cubicles. The others just had less hair to work with. Eventually all five of them were standing in the kitchen awaiting instructions. Milliardo, who had apparently gotten up and showered before all of them, said they had to earn their breakfast. Finally both he and Howard came into the kitchen and Milliardo addressed the boys.

"All right, last night you just had to pick dinner, now you have to pick and make breakfast." he said, much too cheerfully for six in the morning. At least for Duo, who was not a morning person. Quatre looked thoughtful for a second.

"I vote for pancakes," he said.

"I second that," Duo said, looking a tab bit more awake now that food was being discussed. That was all it took. Even Wufei felt it was too early argue about what to eat.

Slowly but surely, the boys set to work on breakfast. Over the next half hour the cabin was filled with the sounds of the mixing of batter, the cooking of pancakes and the setting of tables. It was also filled with snippets of conversations.

"Hey, is there any strawberry jam? I love strawberry jam."

"Maxwell, you're burning them."

"Am not!"

"Um, Duo, I think you're supposed to flip them before the smoke gets that thick."

"Uhh…"

"Here, let me do it."

"I _really_ hope there's strawberry jam… or at least a whole lot of syrup…"

Finally, forty five minutes, lots of smoke and one fire alarm later, the five boys and their current guardians sat down for breakfast. Duo pulled three pancakes off the plate in the middle of the table and made a face at each one before putting them on his own plate.

"At least they match my tableware," he told Quatre with a grin. Quatre smiled back and carefully picked out his own breakfast, strategically avoiding the burnt food. The others followed suit and soon everyone at the table was too busy eating to bother with speaking.

After dinner they were faced with the problem of who got to wash their dishes first and while Duo argued with Heero and Wufei about going first Quatre watched Trowa slip over to the kitchen sink with his dishes. With his own idea the blonde picked up his dishes and some dish soap before heading towards to bathroom to use one of the sinks in there. He was joined a few minutes later by Duo who apparently had the same idea. Duo started washing, but was paying more attention to the blonde next to him who was fumbling with the dishes, clothe and soap.

"I take it you've never had to do dishes before," the braided boy finally said. Quatre looked up.

"Um, yes… I mean… well…. I have, just… not much," Quatre finished lamely, blushing slightly. The last thing he needed was others thinking he was somehow inept. "My father didn't much care for me doing the cleaning. But our cook used to let me help her bake and always insisted I help wash the dishes after."

Duo nodded. "Well it works better if you start with the utensils and move on to the flatware. And it also works best if you don't dump everything in the sink at once." Duo motioned to his own dishes lined up on the counter next to his sink.

Quatre nodded and started addressing the issues that Duo had pointed out, trying not to feel stupid. He really didn't like feeling like he couldn't do something. He sighed. His father was always good at making him feel like a failure. The blonde looked up at Duo and couldn't help wondering what someone so nice had done to end up in a program like this. Before he could stop himself, he asked the question and immediately regretted it.

"I'm sorry," he added. "I shouldn't be prying…" Duo was giving him a funny look. "What?"

"Just that I could ask you the same thing. You really don't seem like someone to get into much trouble." Duo noticed that Quatre seemed to slump over his dishes. "Look, nobody is all good all the time. Everyone makes mistakes; some just cost more then others. And the price isn't always set. I broke into a cop's house and ended up here. Some people get a hell of a lot worse for a hell of a lot less."

"Yeah, I guess," Quatre looked over at Duo who was drying his dishes with a dish towel. Looking back down Quatre started drying his own dishes. When he looked back up again Duo was gone and so were the black dishes. Stacking up his own dishes he headed out to the kitchen to put them away. The others were sitting around the table waiting. Quatre joined them.

"All right," Milliardo said. "Time to set out a chore list. It will change every week and if you don't do your chores then they don't get done and, well my experience has been that people don't like it when others don't hold up their end."

This was a bit more difficult then talking about food. Heero and Trowa soon found that the other three where a bit unusual when it came to chores around the house. Every suggestions that came up for Duo was greeted with either "But that's _gross_."or some variation of "Booooooring!" Quatre wasn't much better. Every job that came up received a now patented "Um, I don't know how to do that one." Wufei was by far the worst though. If it involved cleaning, it was women's work, if it involved cooking, it was women's work, if it involved something that wasn't 'women's work' it was below his dignity.

"Ya know 'Fei," Duo ignored the glare directed at him, "One of these days you are going to have to do _something_ you don't want to. I mean even Quatre acknowledged that and he's like, a gazillionaire or something." Quatre rolled his eyes.

"This from the man who claimed taking out the garbage was disgusting." Wufei shot back.

"Well it is. It smells funny, and not a good funny. And there's that gross garbage water stuff. I gave up handling trash a while ago, thank you very much." Duo flicked his braid over his shoulder turned his nose up at Wufei.

"Wufei, why don't you take the garbage for now." Quatre said, looking at Wufei with a stare that dared him to argue. Opening his mouth, he paused when Quatre smiled. "I'm sure that walking around in your own garbage is below your dignity as well." Wufei snapped his mouth shut.

"Fine," he said shortly. And so the first of the chores had a name written beside it for the week.

Watching from across the room Howard turned toward Milliardo.

"You think it's a good sign there's been no fist fights?" he asked. Milliardo shook his head.

"I think it's just the calm before the storm."

And so started the first week of a new summer of wilderness therapy.

* * *

TBC

* * *

Yay, new chapter. I hope you like it.

The poem is "Invictus" by William Earnest Henley and was written from a hospital bed. It's my favourite poem.

Oddly I have Chapter six already in progress and almost done, lol so now I just have to write the other three before then.


	8. Ergo

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

Some background, the idea came from a book a read a few years ago called Stars (I'm trying to find a copy so I can figure out the authors name.) Wilderness therapy is a type of program that takes teens (usually) out to the wilderness in an attempt to get them to take a personal responsibilty for their life in someway. Most of the programs don't take on those who commit serious crimes, but I'm the author and I have the artistic license.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Ergo**

* * *

Trowa watched from his seat as the others were finishing up with their chores. He had all ready finished, having ignored Duo and focused entirely on his work dusting the furniture. Duo was currently dragging a vacuum across the sitting area talking to himself.

"Ergo," Duo said under his breath. "Errrgoooooo," Trowa watched as the braided boy stopped and cocked his head to the side as he sounded out the word.

"Hey Quat, what's your favourite word?" Duo asked.

Four days into the program Duo had managed to find a nickname for everyone including M (or Milly as he was sometimes called) and Howie. Quatre stopped his mopping and looked over at Duo.

"My favourite word?" he asked mildly confused.

"Yeah, mines 'ergo'. It's so fun to say. Ergo. Eeergo. Ergoergoergo…"

Trowa smirked. Quatre looked thoughtful for a few moments.

"I suppose it would be… colloquial," Quatre smiled. "It's fun to say too." Duo looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Col lo qui al…" Duo seemed to enjoy the word. "Collooooooquiaaaaaaal. Hey that is fun!"

Trowa allowed himself a small smile before turning to watch Quatre. The blonde was carefully mopping around the edges of the counter, making sure to get every speck of dirt. He was so intent in watching the other boy he didn't notice Duo had joined him on the couch until Duo leaned into his vision grinning.

"Let me guess," Duo said and low voice. "Your favourite word is 'Quatre.'" At the tone Duo used Trowa felt his face heat up.

"No," he said.

"Ok, then what is it?" Duo asked, using a normal voice now. Trowa shrugged. He really didn't feel like thinking about favourite words, and he felt even less like talking about favourite words. Duo let out an exasperated breath. It looked for a moment like he would press the issue, but then his vision moved to the door of the bathroom. Wufei was just stepping out.

"Hey! Wuffers. What's your favourite word?" he asked. Wufei looked surprised, then some what appalled.

"What?" he asked.

"Your favourite word, what is it?" Duo asked again.

"What I meant is what the hell did you just call me?" Wufei was starting to look a little pissed and Trowa found himself with a new form of entertainment.

"Wuffers?" Duo asked. "I think it's cute." Wufei was slowly getting angrier.

"Don't call me that. If you can't use my _proper _name, you can call me Chang." Duo rolled his eyes.

"Wuffers!" He said defiantly. Wufei glared.

"Wuffles, Wu-man, Wu, 'Fei, Fei-Fei…" Duo was clearly intent on listing all of the poor boys nicknames. Trowa started rising from the couch. He could see the effect the list was having on Wufei.

"Duo!" the shout came from Quatre. All at once three boys moved. Wufei launched himself at Duo, aiming a punch at the braided boys chin. Duo jumped back, trying to dodge and Trowa vaulted over the couch to try and restrain Wufei.

Duo hit the ground, one hand on his chin which was already starting to bruise. Trowa, who had grabbed hold of Wufei suddenly found himself having to duck. Wufei's fist glanced off his cheek; it would bruise, but not as bad as Duo.

Completely ignored, no one noticed Duo was standing until he launched himself forward tackling Wufei to the ground. Trowa was forced to dodge again to keep himself upright. He moved again, this time trying to separate Duo from the pair on the floor.

The front door banged open. Milliardo and Howard stood there staring for a moment. Milliardo rushed forward. Realizing he had help, Trowa grabbed the first part of Duo he could get his hands on and pulled the boy back.

"Ow! Owowowowowowow!" Duo whined. "Leggo, that's my _hair_!" Trowa let go and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy in a bear hug. Milliardo had managed to pull Wufei back and was holding him in the same manner.

While Howard tried to get the story from the two boys, Trowa looked over toward the kitchen. Quatre had shuffled himself back against the counter looking terrified. Trowa looked back when he realized Howard was talking to him.

"…Can you say about what happened?" Howard was looking at him. Trowa shrugged.

"Duo was being annoying," the boy in his arms growled. "Wufei went off the deep end." Wufei shot a glare in his direction.

"Well, I guess we get to separate the two of you for now. This _will_ be addressed though." Milliardo said.

Ten minutes later, Quatre carefully approached the boy sitting on the couch. He took a seat next to Trowa.

"Here, this might help some," he held out an ice pack. Trowa looked at it for a second. "Duo and Wufei all ready have one each." Quatre smiled. Trowa took the ice pack.

"They're used to this then?" He asked the blonde.

"Apparently so," Quatre smiled at Trowa gingerly place the ice pack on his cheek.

Once everyone had calmed down to assess damages, Duo had a bruised jaw and a black eye forming. Wufei had a bloody nose and a black eye of his own. Duo had been vocally proud to see that he had managed to draw blood and was immediately given a look from Howard who apparently thought such pride was misplaced. Trowa had managed to escape with just the bruise on his cheek.

Quatre looked back towards the door to the boys' bedroom. Trowa must have noticed the worried look the smaller boy wore.

"I'm sure everything is fine," he said calmly.

Duo had been sequestered in the bedroom with Howard; Wufei had been exiled to the porch with Milliardo. Heero, who had missed the whole thing, having been out back washing windows, was sitting at the table with an old copy of a hunting magazine he'd found in one of the drawers in the living room table. All three of them jumped when the door to the bedroom suddenly burst open.

"Well fuck this," exclaimed a very colourful Duo. He looked around, eyeing all three in the main room. He looked about ready to storm out when Howard appeared.

"I think maybe you still need time to cool off, Duo," the counsellor said, stepping aside and giving Duo a chance to comply on his own. Duo glared at the man.

"I don't need some god damned old man telling me what I need." Despite his statement, Duo stormed back into the bedroom and proceeded to slam the door as hard as he could.

Stepping out onto the front porch, Howard saw that Milliardo hadn't made much progress. Milliardo stood.

"He's refusing to even talk, so this might take some time to work out. How's Duo?" he asked.

"Angry as a salmon seeing red."(1) Howard said, Milliardo raised an eye brow and Howard shrugged.

"Should we put off today's activities then? If those two are going to be at each others throats," Milliardo asked. He folded his arms and stared out into the forest thoughtfully.

"It's not like we'll be too far away from the cabin, and we can always separate them again. It might help them learn to respect each other a little more," Howard said. "We'll still give them time to cool off though, no use sending them out when they still hate each other."

* * *

Shortly after lunch a group of five teenagers and one adult set out on one of the many trails that lead into the forest. Wufei stayed near the front of the group, close to Milliardo, while Duo made sure to stay at the back. Less then five minutes into the hike Quatre slowed and fell into step next to the braided boy he was starting to think of as a friend.

"You're avoiding him." Quatre stated. Duo looked at him with surprise.

"Of course I am. He tried to beat the shit out of me," Duo shot a glare towards the front of the group.

"Well, you _did_ taunt him with nicknames you know he doesn't like." Quatre pointed out.

"So? He's had it in for me from day one." Duo looked back a Quatre and suddenly grinned. "So, you like the strong silent type, right?"

"What? Are you trying to change the subject?" Quatre asked.

"Naw, just wondering if you'd be upset if I told you Tro's been watching you when you're not looking." Duo said casually. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed his blonde friend developed a rather nice looking blush.

* * *

TBC

* * *

(1) Ok, so I don't know how true that is. But salmon can see colours and once during a family camping trip we learned that red yarn on the hook makes salmon attack the hook.


	9. Sasquatch

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

Some background, the idea came from a book a read a few years ago called Stars (I'm trying to find a copy so I can figure out the authors name.) Wilderness therapy is a type of program that takes teens (usually) out to the wilderness in an attempt to get them to take a personal responsibilty for their life in someway. Most of the programs don't take on those who commit serious crimes, but I'm the author and I have the artistic license.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Sasquatch**

* * *

Quatre carefully dipped his oar in the water. They were spending some time learning how to work with the canoes since they would need them for at least one future camping trip. After drawing straws, Quatre had found himself in a canoe with Trowa, who seemed a bit more comfortable with the delicately (in his opinion) balanced boat. Admittedly Quatre was afraid to move too much for fear of going overboard.

Up front Trowa turned at looked back. Quatre gave him a weak smile. Trowa offered a small smiled back.

"The canoe is a lot more stable then in feels; once you relax you'll feel more secure." Trowa told him. Quatre opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted.

"KOO-ROO-KOO-KOO-KOO-KOO-KOO-KOO!" (1)

Looking over he saw Duo sitting in the canoe he was sharing with Heero, oar held over his head.

"KOO-ROO-KOO-KOO-KOO-KOO-KOO-KOO!"

Apparently this was something only Duo understood, Heero just twisted around and shot him a look. When Duo looked over at him, Quatre raised his eyebrows in question.

"Sorry, just feeling a little… Canadian out here." Duo grinned.

"Idiot," Heero muttered before turning away.

"Take off, ya hoser!" Duo replied, his grin growing.

Quatre turned back towards the front. Trowa was still watching him; he rolled his eyes and Quatre and turned back to the front. He wasn't sure, but Quatre thought that the taller boy might have been embarrassed at being caught staring. He immediately dismissed the though, just because Duo said Trowa liked him didn't make it true.

Half an hour later the five of them and Milliardo finally set foot back on solid ground and Quatre readily admitted to being relieved. Duo threw an arm around his shoulder.

"Come on, it wasn't that bad. Kinda fun even. Except when you and Tro' ran into me 'n Heero there. But even that was exciting." Quatre just shook his head.

"What exactly is a 'hoser'?" He asked suddenly. Duo looked surprised.

"Uh… well… it's… ah…" Duo reached behind himself to tug on the long braid, a habit that seemed to indicate he was either thinking or embarrassed. "I'm not too sure actually. It's a Canadianism I heard once. I think it has something to do with beer."

A little ways in front of them Wufei turned and smirked. Duo just stuck his tongue out at the Chinese teen. He turned back to Quatre.

"So, do you believe in Sasquatch?" He asked. Quatre looked surprised for a moment.

"What?"

"Sasquatch, big foot, big, hairy ape man that some people say doesn't exist. Do you believe?"

* * *

Heero and Wufei reached the cabin first. Heero carefully removed his baseball cap and hung it on one of the deck chairs. It dripped onto the deck. Just before being called back in, Duo had decided to start a water fight. Soaking Heero and nearly flipping the boat. Unfortunately it was harder to splash someone behind you then it was to splash someone in front of you, so Duo was still quite dry.

Wufei pushed open the door and the two of them stepped into the cabin. Heading for the bedroom Heero watched Wufei out the corner of his eye. Since the fight the day before Wufei had been unusually quiet. While he was no Duo Maxwell, he was still quite vocal about thing, particularly if they didn't suit him. But Wufei had said hardly anything since the day before. Pulling of his wet clothes and leaving them in a pile on the floor, Heero proceeded to search for something dry to put on.

"Is there a reason you ignore him?" he asked suddenly. Looking over at Wufei, who was lying on his bunk reading. Wufei didn't look up.

"Who?" he asked, clearly not all that involved in the conversation.

"Maxwell. He only harasses you because you ignore him." Heero turned away to change his underwear and pull on a pair of pants. Wufei just grunted. Heero looked over at him and raised an eye brow. Wufei looked up at Heero, sensing more then seeing the look he was getting.

"If Maxwell wishes for me to address his presence then he can stop acting like a child." Wufei told Heero. "I certainly didn't appreciate his attempt to start a food fight last night. And I don't appreciate his abuse of my name on a regular basis."

Heero shrugged, pulling on a dry shirt.

"If you won't try, then I'm sure he'll be willing to continue. Though I assume nicknames are his way of being friendly." He said.

Wufei frowned. He hadn't expected Heero of all people to defend the hyper-active little deviant. He had thought Heero had more sense then that one.

"You're becoming fond of him, aren't you?" Wufei asked. He thought for sure he saw a faint blush touch the other boy's cheeks before for he got a response.

"Hn," was all he got before Heero picked up his wet clothes and walked out of the room.

* * *

TBC

* * *

**Glossary:**

Hoser - Canadianism - An unintelligent, uncouth, beer drinking man. (Ha! As a woman I am incapable of being a hoser!)

Take Off! - Canadianism - 1) A statement of disbelief 2) A way to tell someone to, um, bleep off.

Sasquatch - Halkomelem - Big Foot to those of us in Canada, particularly British Columbia. It's illegal to hunt Sasquatch in BC.

* * *

(1) Go look up Bob & Doug McKenzie or "The Great White North" on you tube. Hehe.

Ok, it's shorter I know, but you try starting a conversation between Wufei and Heero. Seriously.

Also sorry for taking so long with this chapter. I had two midterms to study for and that took up most of my time. The next chapter might take a little longer too since I have finals coming up, but I will try to get it done before the work becomes too much. If it takes too long I'll try and get two chapters written before I update. Considering the 6th chapter that I've all ready written but not sure if I'll post as is or change how it's been done.

ckhushrenada: yeah I read Boot Camp, it's a good story, I'm trying to make this one too similar since I'm not big on copying.


	10. Tiger Nuts

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

Some background, the idea came from a book a read a few years ago called Stars (I'm trying to find a copy so I can figure out the authors name.) Wilderness therapy is a type of program that takes teens (usually) out to the wilderness in an attempt to get them to take a personal responsibilty for their life in someway. Most of the programs don't take on those who commit serious crimes, but I'm the author and I have the artistic license.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**Tiger Nuts**

* * *

Wufei pushed aside a low hanging branch and stepped on to the rocky beach. Finding a low flat rock, he sat. In front of him the full moon reflected off the water of the small lake creating an ethereal glow from the water. He took a moment to enjoy the silence. Finally, looking back one last time, he pulled out a somewhat squished pack of cigarettes and a box of matches he had borrowed from the kitchen. Putting a cigarette in his mouth, he lit it. He wasn't supposed to have them, but somewhere between his parents searching his bags and his person, he had slipped the pack into his bag.

Taking a drag and inhaling deeply, he took a moment to appreciate the silence. He would have taken longer, but movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Looking to the right, he noticed a lone figure a little ways down standing on the shore and looking out over the lake. It took a moment for him to figure out who it was. But when the figure moved, Wufei spotted the tell tail sign of a long braid. He let out a sigh, his silence was officially ruined.

The lone figure looked over at the sound of the sigh. Wufei cursed his luck; of course Maxwell would have excellent hearing. Unfortunately, the braided boy seemed incapable of understanding when someone wanted to be alone. He started towards Wufei.

Deciding to ignore the other boy, Wufei made no sign to acknowledge the others presence when Duo sat next to him. Suddenly Duo reached out and pulled the cigarette from Wufei's hand.

"It's a disgusting habit." was all he said, before taking a drag himself. "But damn it, it's one I miss." he grinned at Wufei before handing the cigarette back.

"Why are you here?" Wufei asked.

"Why not?" Duo returned.

Wufei let out a breath. He tried to ignore the boy next to him. But it wasn't working. He had gotten so used to Duo's inability to sit still or be silent for any length of time, that he was distracted by the silence. He looked over at Duo.

"I've never been anywhere like this before." Duo said, without looking over. "It's nice. Quiet too. Like there's no one else in the world but you and the trees and stuff."

"Precisely why I came out here in the first place." Wufei said, hoping Duo would get the hint. He didn't. Instead he stood and walked to the edge of the water. Wufei just watched him.

"I wonder where the North Star is." Duo said absently, turning his face up towards the sky. Wufei looked up too.

"Over there," Wufei said, pointing across the lake. Duo looked back and turned to follow Wufei's finger.

"Sorry, can't see it."

Wufei sighed. Putting his cigarette out on the rock, he checked the end to make sure it was completely out before putting the butt in his pocket. Then he stood and moved to stand next to Duo.

"Over there, the bright one just above the tall tree." he pointed again. Duo again followed the finger. Finally nodding silently to show he saw it. He opened his mouth to say something when the sound of rustling and a twig breaking in the bushes made them both turn. They waited but there was nothing more. No sound or sight of anything.

"Probably just some animal." Duo said finally, sounding just a little nervous. Wufei didn't reply right away, he was still trying to listen.

"We should get back," he said suddenly. "Before they find out were gone."

He and Duo headed back towards the cabin, staying out on the beach as long as possible. Neither of them wanted to be stuck in the woods, even if it had been just an animal; though Wufei doubted it.

Duo went first, carefully opening the front door, followed by Wufei who closed it just as carefully. Turning to go to their room they both stopped short. Milliardo was sitting in one of the comfy chairs, reading the same Magazine Heero had found the day before.

* * *

The next day, after breakfast, was another hike. Only this one would take the boys off the trail too learn about the plants in the area. The expectation was they would learn about what was edible, what was poisonous and what could potentially save a life. At least that's how Millardo had put it, hoping to make it sound exciting.

The seven of them made their way further into the woods, away from the lake. Millardo walked ahead, stopping occasionally to point out one thing or another. Howard, who had decided he needed exercise, took up the rear. Figuring that he could get Quatre and Trowa walking next to each other, if he usurped Trowa's usual place near Heero, Duo had stuck to the stoic boy's side. Heero didn't pay much attention to him, but then again he didn't tell Duo to go away either. Millardo pulled up to a stop.

"Cyperus esculentus," he said, pointing out a long leafy plant. "Also known as Tigernut." He raised an eye brow when Duo snorted.

"Sorry, but… I am _not_ eating a tiger's nut!"

"The tuber is edible and has a sweet nutty flavour. The nuts are supposed to make good bait for fishing after they have been boiled." Milliardo ignored Duo, who had a hand pressed over his mouth and was making strange noises. "It can't be hard to harvest though, the root system in prone to snapping, leaving the tuber in the ground." He stood again.

"Are you done Duo?" Milliardo asked. Duo took a deep breath.

"… No!" He started laughing. "I though tigers ate fish, not the other way around!" Milliardo just rolled his eyes. There was one in every group.

After another hour, the group turned and started back, but before they reached the cabin they were given a task.

"I want you to stay close enough that I can see you. But you job is to find one edible plant. That's one each, so no following someone and picking the same plant." Milliardo nodded, and leaned against a tree watching the five boys disperse.

A little ways away, Duo and Quatre were conducting their search looking closely at the leaves, stems and flowers on different plants trying to find one that was safe for human consumption.

"Tigernut… Seriously, who comes up with the names?" Duo asked, shaking his head. "What's next, Pig nut?" Duo chuckled at his own joke.

"I think that's a common name for a type of cumin actually." Quatre replied, crouching down to look at something dark on the trunk of a tree. Behind him, Duo choked on his own spit.

"You have got to be kidding me!" he cried.

"I think there's blood here." Quatre said suddenly.

"What?" Duo looked over his shoulder. "Probably from an animal or something." He said turning to move around a lard bush. Coming around the other side he stopped short.

"Shit!" He turned. "Milliardo!"

Hearing the man approach, Duo turned back to the sight in front of him. The body of a large black bear lay in front of him. The paws were cut off and it was sliced open.

"Oh no…" Duo turned to see a rather pale and slightly green looking Quatre. Quickly he moved to pull his friend away from the sight.

"Try and breath Q, just… think of something nice like… um… cats, or… uh… tiger nuts?" he tried to smile. Quatre was holding on to his arm tightly, trying to breath, but it wasn't working as well. Duo coaxed the blonde boy into sitting down.

"What's the emergency?" Milliardo asked, approaching. He took one look at Quatre. "What's wrong?" He crouched down in front of Quatre.

"Um, around there." Duo pointed weakly to the bush. Milliardo stood and walked to the other side of the bush. Duo and Quatre heard him swear. He came back looking more then a little angry.

"All right, everyone back to the tree." Milliardo shouted out. "Are you going to be ok Winner?" he asked. Quatre nodded weakly.

"I think so." He let Duo help him to his feet. "Why would someone just leave it there like that?" He asked.

"Poachers," Duo said. Milliardo nodded. "They can get money off the black market for things like paws and the heart."

Reaching Howard and the tree, they found the other three boys all ready there.

"We're heading back now. I don't care if you found a plant or not." Milliardo took a deep breath. "We need to get a hold of the state police." He told Howard. "Someone's been poaching black bears around here."

As the group started back towards the cabin, Duo looked over at Wufei. They new there were thinking the same thing. Who ever it was, had been in the area just last night.

* * *

TBC

* * *

Additional Authors Note: Poaching is illegal, and if you do it, your not allowed to read the story. :-P


	11. Last Year

**DISCLAIMER: **This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

**Authors Note: **Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

Some background, the idea came from a book a read a few years ago called Stars (I'm trying to find a copy so I can figure out the authors name.) Wilderness therapy is a type of program that takes teens (usually) out to the wilderness in an attempt to get them to take a personal responsibility for their life in someway. Most of the programs don't take on those who commit serious crimes, but I'm the author and I have the artistic license.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

* * *

_*One Year Earlier*_

Listening intently, Heero walked slowly and softly down the hall. Right now he was the only one in the house and he knew it. But he wasn't about to get himself caught because he failed to hear a car in the driveway or keys in the door. Pushing the door to the master bedroom open, Heero entered and left the door ajar.

First he walked over to the night table on the right side of the bed. Opening the drawer he slid his hand over the underside until his fingers brushed the key taped to the bottom. He carefully pulled it off and turned it in his fingers, examining every groove and bump. He had taken to doing this every time he was alone, but for some reason he never got further then this. He looked towards the closet.

Standing straight, he walked to the closet door and opened it. Crouching down he moved the boxes aside revealing a metal lock-box. Heero reached out and ran his hand over the cold metal of the box. Licking his lips he moved to put the key in the lock and paused. Inside, he knew the box held something that could fix everything wrong with his life. But he wasn't ready. He wanted to be ready, but he knew he wasn't. Swallowing hard and trying to ignore the voice in his head that called him a coward, he put everything back where it was supposed to be and stood. Closing the closet door he turned and walked back to the bed side table and taped the key back in it's place. Sliding the drawer back in he left the room, closing the door behind him.

When his parents came home an hour later, Heero had locked himself in his bedroom and refused to come out until dinner.

* * *

Duo kicked the door in front of him. There was no answer, so he kicked harder. Cursing both himself (his toe now hurt) and his roommate, he struggled with the bags to try and fit the key into the lock. Just as he was about to turn it the door opened. Before him stood a bedraggled young man with dirty blonde hair that reached his chin and grey-blue eyes. Duo glared daggers at the man.

"If you were fucking someone just to make me struggle you're dead, Solo," he said a little grumpily. The blonde, Solo, just grinned and grabbed a couple of bag from Duo.

"Go a little overboard in the shopping?" He asked the teen. Duo glared again.

"No,"

"Have a nasty run in with a little old lady and get hit with a cane?" Solo asked, still grinning. Duo rolled his eyes.

"No, they were having a sale on some non-perishables so I thought I'd stock up. The lady at the counter treated me like trash though and I couldn't give her a what for cause she's probably been bitched at by every Tom, Dick and Harry in the city and can't be blamed for her actions." Duo dumped his bags on the table. "You weren't entertaining again, were you?" he eyed his roommate suspiciously.

"No, I was not 'entertaining', I was taking a nap. I've been feeling a little run down since they extended my work hours at the club." Solo frowned again, as he watched the food disappear into cupboards and the fridge. "If everything in the bloody store was ninety-nine cents, you still didn't have enough to buy this much, Duo. Where the hell did you get the money?"

Duo pushed his bangs back and looked away. Solo let out a breath.

"Again? You know one of these days your gonna get sent away to a real prison for a good while. Last thing you need is to be some serial killers fuck-toy."

"Maybe not, but since I'm not old enough to work and you don't get paid enough to cover rent and groceries, someone has to do something to keep us off the god damned street." Duo turned on his heels and headed to his bedroom. Slamming the door behind him. The last thing he needed was for Solo to start lecturing him about the one thing he was good at that could bring in cash, even if it wasn't entirely legal.

* * *

Trowa shut the door behind him and moved into the living room. His sister, Catherine, was sitting at the coffee table with papers, a couple of pencils and a calculator in front of her. Trowa frowned. She would never admit to him that her job wasn't paying enough, but he knew anyway. Last time he had brought it up she had gotten angry with his suggestion that he find a way to help out. He needed to finish school first, he needed to make sure he could live a better life then she had been given. After their parents had died in a car accident, Catherine had dropped out of High school to get a full time job, and then a second one. They had managed fine so far but lately things had gotten difficult. The rent had gone up and Catherine had lost one of her jobs. She was having trouble making ends meet, Trowa had seen the letter threatening eviction if she didn't pay soon.

Trowa had decided to skip talking to his sister about it. It was a matter of pride for her. Instead he had started looking for ways to make money. Unfortunately no one in the area was willing to hire someone too young to legally work. So he had started looking outside legal.

Walking over Trowa placed a small roll of bills on the table and turned. His sister grabbed his arm.

"Where the hell did you get that money?" she asked sharply. Trowa just shrugged and walked down the hall to his room.

In the living room Catherine chewed on her nail, thinking. His non-answer told her she wouldn't like the means he had used to acquire the money and she didn't want to encourage him… But at the same time they faced living on the street and that thought was even more frightening. Letting a breath, she stood and headed after her brother.

"You don't have to tell me how exactly, but I don't want you doing it again." she told him, from the doorway, her arms folded. Trowa looked up from his book.

"Fine." he said. It was fine, at least fine that she didn't want him doing it again. That didn't mean he wouldn't do it again if he had to.

* * *

Quatre kicked the pebble with his expensive black shoes. Looking around briefly and seeing no sign of his father amid the sea of navy blue blazers and grey slacks and skirts he turned and started towards the street. He never expected his father to pick him up, but always checked just in case. It was still hurt too much to hope that his father would decided to take time off work to do something with his son, even something as simple as a drive from the elite private school to home.

He was just outside the school yard when someone calling his name made him stop. He waited for the other boy, Derek, to catch up and the two of them started off towards home.

"You wanna come over, Quatre?" Derek asked. "My parents aren't there but I bet we could find something to do."

"Sure," Quatre didn't even have to think about it. His father would be at work until at least eight that evening and he didn't feel much like sitting home with only the help to keep him company. Sometimes he wished one or two of his sisters where still living at home, but that always led him to remembering the dress incident and dismissed the wish.

"Do you have anything for us _to_ do?" Quatre asked suddenly. He knew Derek's parents were very strict about what was appropriate entertainment and what wasn't. Games, music and computers were a big no, reading boring old stories from centuries ago, studying and the newspaper were far more to their tastes. Derek grinned and nodded.

"I do, less of course you don't want to." Quatre eyed his friend. That tone of voice usually meant trouble. But then again, what were two bored rich kids supposed to do if not get in trouble.

Once they reached the house and let themselves in Quatre turned to Derek. "What about the rest of the household?" he asked. The last thing he needed was some nosey maid telling his father he had been hanging out with a friend he wasn't technically supposed to be friends with and doing things he wasn't technically supposed to be doing.

"Don't worry, my dad gave them all time off. He said that they were starting to annoy him." Derek shrugged. "I don't know how they annoy him since most of them are gone when he gets home and the ones who aren't are in bed."

"Even Meg?" Meg was Derek's nanny, though he refused to admit it claming she was his maternal surrogate. She was also really nice and adored both Derek and Quatre.

"Even Meg, though you know she wouldn't say anything to your dad. She loves having you around too much. Last week she even went so far as to say you were like my conscience or something." the two boys laughed at that, knowing full well that Quatre had instigated just as much of the trouble as Derek.

In the large upstairs bedroom the two boys dumped their bags on the floor and Quatre took a seat on the bed. Muttering to himself, Derek searched through his closet until he found what he was looking for. A small box about the size of a deck of cards. He tossed it to his friend who opened it. Taking one look at what was inside, Quatre snapped the lid shut and looked at Derek.

"I dunno about this…" he trailed off, chewing his lip. Derek just shrugged.

"Don't want to fine, But _I_ want to."

Quatre ran his fingers over the box for a moment before finally nodding.

* * *

Wufei rushed up the driveway to his house, slowing just as he reached the front steps. He was late. In fact he was _very_ late. His parents had told him to be home by ten, it was currently 3:23 a.m. Taking the steps slowly, he tried not to make any sound. So far his parents trusted him. They both went to bed at exactly half past nine and since he had given them very few reasons to not trust him in the past, he had thus far gotten away with not being caught coming home late. Not that he did it often. This was only his third time. This time he was certain that he didn't want to get caught, and certain that if he wasn't careful the reason he didn't want to get caught would get him caught.

Wait did that make any sense.

Wufei shook his head, trying to clear it and opened the door as quietly as possible. Shutting it just as quietly behind him, he removed his shoes and started up the stairs to his bedroom.

"Wufei,"

Wufei stopped mid step and slowly turned. His father was standing at the foot of the stairs, arms crossed and eyeing his son with something between anger and disappointment. Wufei silently, but thoroughly cursed his luck and stared at the ground trying to look meek, or apologetic or something along those lines.

"You're late," he father stated. Well that was an understatement. He didn't say anything though. He heard more the saw the frown in his father's voice when the man spoke again, "tell me why." Wufei swallowed.

"I… lost track of time, I guess," even to his ears it was the lamest excuse he could have come up with. Hell, falling asleep at a friends house would have been better. Not much but at least a little more plausible.

"Come down here, Wufei." now there was something in that voice he didn't recognize. It sounded like suspicion. Slowly, Wufei descended the stares to stand in front of his father. A hand reached out and guided Wufei's chin up so he was looking his father in the eye. Slowly the man leaned forward and sniffed the air around his only son.

"You've been drinking?" it was really more of a statement then a question.

"Yes," Wufei said, spurred by a sudden urge to be defiant. No doubt his father expected a lie. Mr. Chang frowned. Wufei suddenly pulled back.

"I'm going to bed," Wufei said suddenly, turning and heading back up the stairs. He reached the second floor and stopped. His mother was standing there with a robe pulled around her. She didn't say anything but Wufei could see it. Her eyes told him she knew, and she was horribly disappointed. It was bad enough upsetting his father. But his mother? she was probably the nicest human being alive. She had given her whole life to raising her only child and he had hurt her.

Feeling his stomach knot and a lump form in his throat, Wufei turned his back on her and raced into his room, slamming the door behind him. As much as he hated seeing his mother hurting because of him, Wufei was sick and tired of being a perfect son. He had made life easy for his parents. Doing everything they asked when they asked it. He excelled in school because they wanted him to, he excelled in martial arts because it was important to his father. He stayed out of trouble, and subsequently friendless because he wasn't willing to break rules, because his parents refused to accept anything less then a perfect son.

He was ready to make them accept it.

* * *

TBC

* * *

Post Chapter Author's Note: Ok, the update was loooooong in coming. The reason being I wasn't sure I wanted to go the flashback route. We'll see how it works. I had this written a while ago and hesitated putting it up. I hope you like it. Anyway, thank you for your patience. As I was writing the ending here, I've decided a path for which this story will trek. Anyway, there will be important information revealed in later flashbacks.


	12. Buddies

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note: Ok, I'll admit that I know where the story is going, I just don't know exactly how I'm going to get there. I had the idea so I decided to start writing since I've had trouble with it for a while (seriously, writers block for YEARS here). I'm hoping that this will help me push past it. That doesn't mean I'm going to skimp though, I plan on making it a good story.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Buddies**

* * *

Duo searched the blankets around him. He picked up his pillow before tossing back to its space. Muttering to himself, oblivious to the others eyeing him nervously, he scrambled to his feet, crouching to avoid knocking his head on the ceiling.

"Ah ha!" he exclaimed. He grabbed the shirt that was laying where he had been sitting and returned to his seat, tossing his legs over the edge of his bunk. He proceeded to fold, then roll the shirt up.

"Why are you rolling everything?" Quatre asked. Duo looked down at the blonde.

"Because, you can fit more stuff in a smaller space if you roll it." Duo said, holding up the rolled shirt. He looked over the items laid out on his friends own bunk. "Are you planning on bringing all that?"

Quatre frowned. "Well, not all of it. But I want to make sure I don't miss anything important." He looked over the items the same as Duo. To be honest he wished his father hadn't sent him with so much stuff.

"We're gone two nights, so that's three shirts plus the one your wearing. You know, extras. One pair of pants, also extra since your wearing one. And pj's if you want them, or you could sleep in your undies. And a jacket or heavy sweater so you don't get cold or anything. After that just make sure you've got your toothbrush and all that." Duo grinned. Quatre sat on the edge of his bed.

"Yeah, that makes sense." He rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"Can't sleep? Still trying to get that bear out of your head?" Duo asked, watching Quatre.

"Yeah," the blonde felt a slight blush on his cheeks. Duo pushed himself off the bed an landed with a soft thud.

"Hey, no need to be embarrassed. It certainly wasn't a pretty sight." Duo shrugged.

Quatre looked up, "You don't seem all that disturbed by it." He said. Duo grinned.

"I've seen worse. Like a few months back, some idiotic wanna be gang banger gave me a once over, should have seen my face after that!" Duo fingered the bridge of his nose, "I think I got one of those deviated septum thingies now." He said with a frowned.

Distracted when Wufei lost his grip on his bag and started cursing, Quatre turned back to Duo and eyed him critically. "Well if you do, it's not noticeable."

"Thanks," Duo continued to smile. He turned. "Hey, Chang, you wanna keep it down back there. Unless you plan on translating cause I wouldn't mind learning how to swear in a fifth language."

In response, Wufei glared. Duo turned and pulled himself back up onto his bunk.

* * *

Early the next morning, each teen was woken up one by one by Howard. Four of them managed to drag themselves out of bed, not entirely sure why it was necessary to get up before the sun for a camping trip. The fifth teen, Duo, had simply rolled over and, with one arm and one braid dangling from the bed, went back to sleep.

Half an hour later, Quatre's gentle prodding and Heero's not so gentle tug on the braid brought Duo out of bed to stumble into the bathroom for a shower. Finally after another forty minutes the five of them stood, with Howard and Milliardo and their bags at the edge of the lake. Duo yawned hugely before staring sleepily at the canoes.

"All right, time to pair up… Well pair up as best as possible. One of you will be with Howard." Milliardo told them. "Who ever you get stuck with is your buddy for the trip, that includes chores and tent sharing, understand? And no switching. If you and your buddy hate each others guts you have to find a way to work it out."

Duo wasn't sure he liked the sound of that last bit. He liked it even less when, of all the numbers in the can to pick, he pulled the two… which matched Wufei. The two looked at each other for all of three seconds before both of them broke out in strings of curses.

Trowa and Quatre were the first to get settled in the canoe, followed by Howard and Heero. Milliardo got one all to himself, though he had more to pack into his. Wufei and Duo took the longest. It seemed impossible for the two of them to agree on anything. To Wufei it seemed Duo was being stubborn just for the sake of being stubborn. It took some time, but finally they group managed to get settled and four canoes set off across the lake just as the sun peaked over the mountains.

Wufei ignored yet another yawn from the boy behind him in the canoe. He focused solely on the task at hand, getting himself and (unfortunately) his 'buddy' across the lake dry and in one piece. It took a moment for him to realize that said buddy was not quite doing his share of the work. Turning around he shot a glare to Duo who was sitting with his oar laying across his lap.

"Are you planning on helping or just sitting there?' Wufei asked sharply.

"I am planning on talking." Duo said. Wufei opened his mouth to comment that Duo always talked but he was cut off. "And you are planning on taking part in this conversation, for both our good."

* * *

Quatre pull up his oar as the canoe he was in reached shore. By this point the sun was well over the mountain. Trowa hopped out of the boat and pulled it close enough for Quatre to get out. Looking back Quatre noticed that Duo and Wufei were still quite a distance from shore. Duo appeared to be saying something, Wufei's reactions seemed to vary between defensive, angry, and eventually some sort of understanding.

"Wonder what they're up to out there." Trowa said. Quatre looked back.

"Maybe trying to come to an understanding?" The blonde suggested. Looking out over the lake at the two. What ever the conversation was, it was over and they were starting towards the shore.

With the last two on solid ground, the group tied up the canoes, each took their share of the gear and headed off into the woods for their camping trip.

* * *

TBC

* * *


	13. First Stop

DISCLAIMER: This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

Authors Note:I know where this story is going (still no final other pairing. Suggestions are welcome though). Um, just a bit of a warning... School is taking up a HUGE chunk of my time right now and will continue to do so for at least another week and a half. So no promises until after that.

The title is tentative and may change at a later date.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

**First Stop**

* * *

Quatre let out a breath and nearly collapsed onto an old log laying just off to the side of the small clearing. Struggling out of his backpack, he set it on the ground next to him.

"No rest for the weary quite yet..." Duo said, ploping down next to him. "We still have to set up tents... speaking of which, wanna trade?"

"We're not allowed to trade, remember? And I'm not sure I have the energy to set up a tent." Quatre replied, looking at the tightly rolled bundle attached to his backpack.

"Yeah I know..." Duo let out a sigh. "I'm just not looking forward to waking up dead."

Trowa approached the two of them. "We should get started on the tent." He said to Quatre. Nodding the blonde pushed himself up and followed Trowa to help set up the tent.

Over on the other side of the clearing, Wufei glared in the direction of Duo. Of course the other teen would be sitting around talking to the others instead of working. Of course he selectively forgot that Duo had done his fair share on the trip so far.

Before he had a chance to complain about it though, Duo stood, stretched and ambled over to Wufei and the tent.

"So... where do we start?" the braided teen asked. Wufei raised an eyebrow.

"You act like you know so much about camping and yet you have no idea how to set up a tent?" Wufei ask.

Duo shrugged, "The only sleeping out doors I've ever done didn't include tents."

Wufei let out a breath. "Fine, hand me that pole." He said, pointing to a metal tent pole a couple of feet away. Duo complied, examining the pole with interest before handing it over.

In yet another part of the clearing, Heero was satisfied to be doing all the work himself. Apperently regulations ment that Howard couldn't share a tent with him, so he had one of his own. That also ment having to set it up on his own but that was hardly a new experience for him. He was just setting the last pole in it's pocket when a shout from the direct of Duo and Wufei caused his hand to slip and him to let go of the pole. The force of the pole snaping back to it's natural straight state caused the other side to pop out of the pocket. When that happened, one of the other two poles also came out and the remaining one, unable to balance itself, fell to one side.

Heero groweled and stalked over to where Duo and Wufei were currently standing nose to nose glaring daggers at each other.

"If the two of you cannot fight _quietly_ then, so help me, I will silence you both myself!" with that Heero spun on his heels back to his tent to once again fight with those damned tent poles.

* * *

Wufei woke early enough that the sun was just starting to light the tent he shared with Duo. The other boy was clearly still sleeping, so Wufei lay where he was eyes closed enjoying the silence. It seemed to be the start of a very good day. Something he couldn't remember enjoying for a long time. Dispite the cold air, Wifei found that he was comfortably warm. He snuggled a little deeping into his sleeping bag enjoying the feel of the warm body that was draped over him, warding off the cold.

Wait...

Wufei's eyes snapped open at the realization. At first he saw nothing. Something was obscuring his view. Reaching up he took hold of what was definaly a sleep mussed braid. Examining it for a second, it dawned on him. At some point during the night, the annoying and utterly confusing Duo Maxwell had managed to move himself across the tent and drape himself over Wufei. With a growl Wufei gave the braid a sharp tug.

Duo's wake up was not quite as pleasant. He had been dreaming that as a reward for his services (though he wasn't sure which services) he had been awarded his choice of product in the largest candy store known to man. Just as he took a step forward, something grabed his braid and yanked him back.

Duo let out a shout and jumped back when he spotted very angry, dark brown eyes glaring at him. It took about five seconds to realize that Wufei _had _in fact pulled his hair. At which time Duo reversed his direction and launched himself at his tent-mate.

The others woke to swearing, yelling, and a very loud proclimation that no-one is ever, _ever_ allowed to touch the braid without a valid reason and waking someone up did _not_ count.

At breakfast, Duo and Wufei sat glaring at each other over their food. Finally one of them tried to speak.

"Duo..." Wufei started.

The braided boy just stood and marched off towards the other side of the camp. For a moment it looked as if Wufei would follow, but instead he settled himself and turned his focus back to his breakfast.

So what if Duo hadn't intended to cuddle up to him, he couldn't really be blamed for the invasion of space and it wasn't his fault he decided to pull the braid. At least, he tried to tell himself it wasn't his fault. Deep down he knew his actions were dicated more by the dislike he held for the other teen, he just didn't want to admit that he had let it cloud his judgment. He did know the truth though, especially since Duo had confronted Trowa back at the cabin after the fight for the very same offence.

* * *

AN: Yay! I updated. I am seriously happy about that! I'm sorry it was so long in coming, schools taking up a good portion of my time. And yes, when you let go of one tent pole, the whole bloody thing comes apart. I know this from experience.


	14. Twigs

**DISCLAIMER: **This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

**Authors Note:** I know where this story is going (still no final other pairing. Suggestions are welcome though). Um, just a bit of a warning... School is taking up a HUGE chunk of my time right now and will continue to do so for at least another week and a half. So no promises until after that.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**Twigs**

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**

Quatre kicked at an old, decomposing log. Bits and pieces of it broke away and crumbled to the ground. The only thing left over was a pile of reddish brown wood that resembled dirt. In frustration, he let out what he considered an intimidating growl and kicked the log even harder. This time his foot sank about an inch into the soft wood. With a yelp he pulled his foot free and glared at the log. A soft chuckle behind him, startled him out of his mini-tantrum. He spun around.

Trowa was standing near by, in one hand he held a collection of small sticks and some hair like moss. Since part of the camping trip was learning how to survive without modern inventions, Trowa and Quatre had been assigned the task of finding kindling. Apparently an axe was a modern invention, though Quatre wasn't sure by whose standards that was. Who ever they were, they obviously didn't know their pre-history.

"Bark can work, but it's just easier to find twigs." Trowa said, his eyes still dancing. "And throwing a hissy fit at nature doesn't help much."

Quatre pushed his bangs out of his face and gave Trowa his best 'I'm a _Winner_' look. Unfortunately he could feel his face heating up. "I wasn't throwing a hissy fit!" He exclaimed. He wasn't exactly prone to childish tantrums, but the constant feeling of being out of his element was getting to him.

To his surprise, Trowa's smile turned gentle. "I know it can be frustrating when you aren't used to doing things you're being asked to do." he told the blonde.

Quatre gave Trowa a wry smile. "Normally my father doesn't appreciate it when I do things that result in me getting dirty, I don't even know why he decided to send me here. He always said camping was for those who didn't have the means to take a real vacation."

For a brief second Trowa saw a look cross the blonds face that seemed almost sad. It was quickly covered by the usual polite looks Quatre wore though.

"My parents used to take my sister and me camping every year." Trowa said quietly. "Not because they couldn't afford better, but because they... _We_ used to love it."

Both boys fell silent. Trowa had mentioned in a previous group session with Howard that his parents were dead. Quatre bent down to pick up a small twig that lay in front of him.

"I guess vacations aren't really something you can do now." The blonde said.

Trowa shook his head. "My sister always has to work, and never makes enough money. That's kind of why I'm here."

Together the two teens started back toward the camp. Along the way Quatre stopped to gather more twigs, though he though they probably had enough as it is.

"I'm here because my dad panicked when my arrest for possession made the news. The last thing he wants is for the public to think he lets me get away with stuff like that." Quatre said. Trowa watched Quatre out of the corner of his eye.

"That seems pretty tame, if you ask me." Trowa said. He fell silent for a bit. "The judge sent me here. I really just wanted to help my sister make the rent, so when I was taken in for mugging someone, the judge decided I would do better with some sort of rehabilitation rather than being locked up. The woman I attacked didn't think I should be locked up either. It kind of surprised me, she didn't exactly show much regret for giving me a concussion."

The two of them stopped. They were getting close to the camp, and neither of them really seemed to feel the desire to return right away.

"How did she do that?" Quatre asked quietly. Something one tugging at the back of his mind, but he wasn't sure what.

"She nailed me in the back of the head with something when I turned my back on her. For a rich woman, she could really land a blow." Trowa said.

They both fell silent for a moment. The silence was broke by Duo calling out to them. He was calling them in to start the fire, it was dinner time by Duo's reckoning and they needed to start the fire.

"She was coming back from some benefit gala and looked like an easy mark." Trowa shrugged. "I guess that's why you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover."

With that Trowa turned and walked into the camp, leaving Quatre behind. The blonde had cold feeling in the pit of his stomach and he suddenly found himself uneasy over the crush he had developed for Trowa. It wasn't so much the crime, or even the fact that the tall brunette seemed to have no real sense of remorse for it. It all centred around who...

* * *

TBC

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Author's Note: Sorry this took such a horribly long time. I really am. I plan on moving faster from now on. Please forgive me!


	15. Quatre

**DISCLAIMER:** This is the general Disclaimer, I don't own Gundam Wing, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all for fun and only get paid in reviews.

**Authors Note: **I know where this story is going (still no final other pairing. Suggestions are welcome though). Um, just a bit of a warning... School is taking up a HUGE chunk of my time right now and will continue to do so for at least another week and a half. So no promises until after that.

**Warnings:** There is swearing, drugs, sexual situations, violence and male-male relationships. Reader beware. Not for young readers.

The story is AU and OOC. The only pairing I have figured out so far is 3X4.

Enjoy, R&R and try bearing with me if I take some time getting new chapters up though I hope to go for about one a week.

* * *

**Quatre**

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**

_~~Five months earlier~~_

Quatre sat on the cold, red, plastic chair in the hallway. It was one of those chairs that had the rubber pseudo-padding on it. It looked like there should be at least some degree of softness, but once you sat down it may as well have been just a regular hard plastic chair. It was one of the things he had noticed when he arrived at the hospital with his father. The chairs and the people.

This wasn't one of the fancy, private facilities that anyone in his family would have normally gone to, but in this case there was little choice. So he sat, and he watched. As a public emergency room, it was filled with a wide variety of people. One of the first things he noticed was that most of the people had a worn, stressed look about them. Not a recently stressed look either. They all looked as if they had lived their entire lives feeling the stress of life. Around him people either tried to catch the attention of nurses or doctors, or they sat and waited, resigned to the fact that they would likely be stuck there for hours.

"...Want to see my brother!"

Quatre looked over, a young woman with curly red hair was talking to a nurse. She was wearing the uniform of a local pizza place that provided all night service. Next to her was a police officer talking quietly.

Suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the noise, Quatre rose and went in search of his father. It didn't take long. He was in one of the private rooms with Iria, Quatre's sister. Quatre slipped in and sat in a chair by the door. This one was grey, the fabric that covered the seat and back of the chair didn't make it any more comfortable than the last one.

He took in his sisters appearance. Normally she was very well put together, but tonight her hair was mussed and there were stains on her dress that looked like they could have come from anywhere. Finally, a police officer, the one who had been speaking to the redheaded woman in the waiting room, came in.

"Ms. Winner, we are going to need you to go over what happened one more time." The officer said.

Iria sighed and reached up to brush a strand of hair off her face. Quatre noticed that the bracelet he had gotten her for her last birthday was missing.

"Where is it?" He asked suddenly. Just as suddenly, all eyes were on him. Before he could clarify, Iria covered her wrist with her hand.

"He took it," she said quietly. She turned back to the police officer. "I just left a dinner to raise money for the children's hospital, my car wouldn't start so I decided to take the subway. I was looking for my phone to call and let everyone know I would be home late, when this... boy, no older than my brother, came out of nowhere. He said if I screamed, he would shoot and told me 'Do everything I tell you and you'll get out of this alive, got it?'..."

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TBC

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Author's Note: See, didn't take that long. LOL. Seriously though, no more year long waits between updates.


End file.
